PRWeek UK 30 Under 30 2017: Andy Eldridge, Babel PR

Eldridge joined Babel as a graduate trainee five years ago and has leapt through the ranks. He leads Babel’s Cambridge office, developed to support the emerging tech hub in the city. He now manages a portfolio of broadcast, technology and telecoms clients.

What attracted you to PR?

I wanted to be a journalist. By the time I came out of university, competition was fierce and jobs in the industry were hard to come by. Given the parallels between PR and journalism, I convinced myself that I’d settle into a comms role for a year or so before making the jump to the other side. But I had a change of heart early on, and I’m still here five years later.

How has PR differed from your expectations?

It’s held my attention. My peers bang on about "variety" and how "no two days are the same", but that’s nonsense. Every job has its pros and cons, and any role has elements of repetition. What is true about PR, though, is it’s fast-paced. Agency life is seen as an unforgiving, sink-or-swim environment, but it creates a work hard, play hard mentality, and that’s what I love about it.

What skills and attributes do modern comms professionals need?

You must be able to write. Having the confidence to take the floor in a room full of people is important. But key characteristics in b2b comms are an inquisitive mind and an ability to distil technical concepts.